Earth Day History
In 1969, a massive oil spill occurred in Santa Barbara. A U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, visited the spill site and was inspired to establish the first national Earth Day on April 22, 1970. The first Earth Day saw 20 million Americans take to the streets and parks to express support for the environment. Public support for efforts to improve the environment led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the passage of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. Read more about Earth Day’s history. Earth Day is officially April 22 every year, and the month of April is considered Earth Month. See Tips for Clean Air for what you can do for our planet.
Earth Day 2023
We will be participating in two Earth Day events this year. If you are attending or participating in these events, we encourage you to say hello and learn about air quality.
- April 22: Guadalupe Community Clean-Up
- April 29 and 30: Santa Barbara Earth Day at Alameda Park in Santa Barbara
Air Quality Information & Resources
- Subscribe to receive air quality alerts and news via text and/or email
- View current air quality conditions and forecasts
- Learn how to create a “clean air room” to protect against wildfire smoke
- Follow us on Twitter and Instagram
- See a map of our permitted facilities
- Clean Air Ambassadors program for classrooms
- Learn about low-cost sensors
- Check out our grants and incentive programs
